Wednesday afternoon’s game against the Cleveland Guardians might be the biggest one of the season for the Chicago White Sox.

The South Siders entered play on Wednesday just a half-game ahead of Cleveland in the AL Central standings, and with meeting representing the final game between the two teams this season, it was an opportunity for Chicago to put some distance between their rivals in the division.

It was also a chance for Tommy Pham to try and get back into the lineup.

Pham, acquired by the White Sox in a trade back on September 1 with the Philadelphia Phillies, has only appeared in a handful of games this entire season, and entered play without a hit to his credit all year. He was also placed on the 10-day injured list back on September 6, due to a left calf strain, after appearing in just one game for the White Sox.

But the veteran outfielder bumped into White Sox general manager Chris Getz in the elevator on Tuesday night and made his pitch, telling Getz he was ready to play:

As luck, or the baseball gods, would have it, Pham came to the plate with a pair of runners on for the White Sox in the top of the fifth inning, with two outs. Chicago trailed 2-0.

But with one swing of the bat, it was 3-2:

That’s right. Hours after convincing his general manager that he was ready to play, Pham recorded his first MLB hit of the season, a go-ahead three-run shot for the White Sox in perhaps their biggest game of the season.

So there is a lesson here, friends. You are your own best advocate. Speak up for yourself. Make that elevator pitch.

Even if it is a literal elevator pitch, like Pham did.